Kokusai Kohki Guide Handle for Vixen Porta / Porta II Mount

Product Info

Manufacturer Description

The discontinued Vixen PORTA, and the new PORTA II alt-azimuth mounts are very popular mounts. And no wonder; the PORTA mount carries a decent payload, OTAs attach easily to it with the now nearly universal Vixen dovetail plate, it has competent dual axis slow motion handles, and comes complete with a very decent height adjustable aluminum tripod, all for a quite reasonable price. And it`s rather pretty too. But we did notice one aspect of the PORTA mount that, in use, sometimes proves to be amazingly annoying .....

Aiming your PORTA mounted OTA around the sky usually means grabbing the focuser or star diagonal and then using this "handle" to point your scope. This often results in twisting the star diagonal out of alignment, getting gear grease on fingers or even having the star diagonal+eyepiece combination fall off onto the hard ground below....Yikes! At any rate, the usual method is, oh, so, well,... inelegant....And perhaps not very accurate either. And certainly not convenient...

Instead of grabbing and then man-handling the focuser, the simple addition of a robust handle to the altitude axis of the PORTA removes all this lack of finesse with a quick and easy installation. Kokusai Kohki's own "New Guide Handle", designed specifically for use on both PORTA mounts, has a foam covered grip on the end that keeps fingers warm, and lets you become the true master of your trusty PORTA mount.

"New Guide Handle", for both PORTA and PORTA II mounts, attaches in about 5 easy minutes, and the necessary tools are included with your PORTA mount as it comes from Vixen. Attachment involves removing the dovetail saddle plate on the altitude axis, slipping it over the New Guide Handle, then rebolting the combination back on to the altitude axis, a very simple procedure that is also kind of fun to perform. Highly recommended for all PORTA and PORTA II users.

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Review by Jim S.

1540847197

Oct 29, 2018

5.0Perfect Fit

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Received the control arm this morning. Installed on my Porta II in 5 minutes as advertised. Tested use with the scopes I intend to use with the mount — SV70ED (f/6) & SV80L (f/7.5). The adjustment screws on the Porta II allowed just the right amount of tensioning for smooth operation with either scope. Will try it after dark tonight — if the “new equipment curse” doesn’t set in. The Kokusai control arm is the solution I have been looking for so I don’t have to torque the scope and/or diagonal to move the scope. Yes it’s pricey, but it fits like a factory accessory, looks indestructible and works like a charm.

5.0Al-az tripod control arm

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What a wonderful and useful tool to increase the benefits of using an Alt-Az mount. I was surprised at how robust it was and the foam handle end makes it comfortable to control the scope without having to torque on the scope.

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Review by Randyman

1523495883

Apr 11, 2018

5.0Helps you “get a handle” on your stargazing!!!!

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It took me about 5 minutes to attach this great handle to my Explore Scientific Twilight I Alt-Azimuth Mount. This is a ruggedly built, nicely finished handle with a tough powder coated finish that matches very closely with the Twilight mount. It looks like it is part of the original equipment.

I use several OTA’s with the Twilight 1 ranging from a 80 refractor, to a 150 mm Mak Cass to a 10inch reflector. Having a big beefy handle (with a soft comfy grip) like the “Kokusai Kohki Guide Handle” makes it a breeze to just maneuver whatever scope you have. You just swing your payload around and then use the fine tuning knobs to get the target centered in eye piece. This is a great product that I am so glad someone was smart enough to manufacture!!!

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Review by David F.

1522331432

Mar 29, 2018

5.0Perfect for ALT/AZ Control

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I mounted this one my ES Twilight I mount and it has made all the difference. When moving the telescope position a great deal, I don't have to hold the telescope's diagonal (which is usually just grabbed without thinking). The fine control knobs are still very accessible too! I use this mount/handle combo for solar observing (Lunt LS50TH double stack), bird watching (Orion 80mm), and night time astronomy. I would buy it again and it's highly recommended!

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Review by Duncan T.

1498040899

Jun 21, 2017

5.0Must have addition to Twilight I

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Big improvement to the standard mount . A bit pricey for a stamped bit of metal, but it fits perfectly and works as advertised. Nice not to have to push on your scope or diagonal. Now I can also use my 6-inch SCT.

5.0Excellent Twilight II mod!

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There have been several astronomy forum citations about using this guide handle originally designed for the Vixen Porta mount on an Explore Scientific II mount; Agena also notes in the product listing that this is an alternate use. This is intended to remedy one of only two problems that often beset users of this otherwise great mount (the other being some azimuth "stickiness" on occasion), which is the need to grab the scope to move the it either in altitude or azimuth, which is obviously not helpful to maintaining focus or cleanliness of the scope. Not having a consistent location and leverage from which to control movement also makes developing a good intuitive sense of entering fine corrections difficult.

I'm pleased to say that after installing and briefly using the handle in the field I have found this to be a very effective solution to the Twilight II's shortcoming in this area. The handle allows easy and sure control in both azimuth and altitude, and as you use it you can develop some ability to roughly perform both mentions simultaneously. Note quite a ball head, but massively superior to trying to grab the scope or the T-bar.

The handle fits the Twilight II like is was designed for it, with mounting holes that match up perfectly, and even a pretty close match to the diameter of the dovetail saddle it sits behind for a finished look. NOTE: you will need to have a pair of M6x20 (metric) flat head screws, stainless steel if you can get them, because the included screws are meant for the Vixen and will NOT work. The flat head is important because the holes in the Twilight saddle are countersunk. With those in hand, and an allen wrench (3mm I think) to remove the existing screws, your mod will be complete in five easy minutes.

Negatives? Not really. The white finish troubled me at first, but I think it will make the handle a bit more visible. It could be a bit less expensive, but for a quality bit of kit that allows a very easy, and very impactful, mod its really a pretty fair upgrade value.

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Review by Greg

1484308240

Jan 13, 2017

5.0Great addition to my Vixen setup

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I ordered this handle a while back and the shipping was excellent.. only 10 days to get to Thailand. The product is excellent.. very good quality and fits perfectly. Very happy with this order. I will be ordering again from AgenaAstro.

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Review by Donald O.

1482591184

Dec 24, 2016

4.0When you need a hand to control a telescope

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The Hokusai Kohki Handle is a great addition to the Vixen Porta mount 2.
It’s so much easier to swing the telescope in both directions and better than grabbing the actual telescope.
Built like a tank,this handle will never break.
The foam hand grip is also very useful in cold weather.
Great product.

5.0Get A Handle On It!

I've purchased two of these handles now. After installing the first one on my Vixen Porta II and finding it such a joy to use, I thought I'd get another to install on my new Explore Scientific Twilight I alt/az mt. Even though the description only mentions that this handle fits the Vixen Porta alt/az mts. I found it does also fit the ES Twilight perfectly as well. It has the same mounting holes as in the Vixen Porta.

This handle is so much more convenient than having to grab the scope tube or focuser! A great product and sturdy.

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Review by sandy of UK.

1436054400

Jul 4, 2015

5.0Excellent Accessory

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Accurate,Easy to Use,Strong Construction

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Great addition to my Vixen Porta II mount, living in the UK was unable to source hence ordered from Agena to mount my Celestron C5 scope for Astro use, much better having the handle to move scope about rather than grabbing and moving the scope by hand. Really useful addition, don`t understand why Vixen doesn't list as an accessory in the UK. Prompt delivery and well packaged well worth the extra cost in postage......very easy to fit.